x - There is a kind of pretty boy other than bishonen that takes the androgyny thing to a whole new level. Girly boys or sissy boys look so feminine that they are in fact just like girls in appearance. More often than not, it's a fairy-like femininity that reminds you of the princesses and fairies of picture book stories. Once more, there are many of these 'sissies' to be found in Asian pop culture.

Now in the west we've had our share of androgynous metal bands in the 80s with glam bands like Poison, Cinderella or Whitesnake to name just a few. But, as far as femininity is concerned, they were nothing compared to some of the J-rock band members: These boys wear elaborate and colourful dresses with frilly petticoats or mini skirts with knee-length boots and suspenders, making them clear winners in any sissyboy contest.

What I find interesting is that it seems not only perfectly acceptable for boy band members to be feminized, but it's also loved by the fans. It's quite common for most visual kei bands in that part of the world to have at least one sissy member. Of course, everyone in that genre is heavily dressed up but those who I call girly boys are deliberately and intentionally feminized into a sissy. I wonder if they protest when their managers decide who gets to be the sissy. Some look so convincing that you can't believe it's a boy until you hear his voice.

How to tell if it’s a boy or a girl

There are some clues to look out for:

The voice (if its broken)

Their hight (if they’re adults) – of course not totally reliable but just a clue

Broad shoulders – even with hormones that can hardly be altered so its quite reliable.

Facial features – another less reliable clue.

The hands – USUALLY the ring finger is longer than the index finger with men. Vice versa with women. Apparently that’s also a sign of fertility but that’s just a rumor.

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Favourite Girly Boys

Here are some examples from various j-rock bands and links to their official websites:

What about the rest of the world?

Many people say that this girly boy popularity is just a local (in particular Japanese) cultural phenomenon but I think there's definitely more to it. In recent years the influence of this trend has started to spread to other continent. Bands like Tokio Hotel (see Bill Kaulitz) have begun to incorporate their own style of androgynous visual kei. The rapidly increasing popularity of such bands speaks for itself.

So it looks like we'll be seeing more sissy fashion among boys and men in the future. Nevertheless, I think girly boys will remain a small minority but that has a good side: